Knife.



No. 632,239. I Patented Sept. 5, I899.

" R. J. CHRISTY.

KNIFE.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1898.

{No Model.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT EETQE.

RUSS J. CIIRISTY, OF FREMONT, OIIIO.

' KNIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,239, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed December 17, 1898. Serial No. 699,590. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUSS J. CHRIsTY, a eitizen of the United States, residing at Fremont, Sandusky county,State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knives, of which the following is a speeifieation.

My invention relates to paring-knives; and it consists of aknife formed from athin flexible blade of steel, with a cutting edge at the side near one end and reinforced at the edges of the handle portion by reinforcing-ribs, as fully set forth hereinafter, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows in perspective the form of the strip from which the blank is made. Fig. 2 is the blank before sharpening. Fig. 3 is a blank after sharpening. Fig. a is a perspective View of the finished knife. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a reinforcing-rib; and Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 6 (5, Fig. 4.

In constructing myimproved paring-knife I first take a sheet or plate of thin flexible steel and cut therefrom a strip with straight side edges and preferably of uniform width, forming a blank A. Preferably the blank is punched at one end and sheared oif or beveled at one side, near the other end, forming an inclined edge as, Fig. 2. The blank is then tempered and ground off toward the edge 03, or otherwise sharpened to form the cutting edge, Fig. 3, the short portion thus sharpened at one side forming the cutting portion of the knife-blade, while the longer part, in one piece with the cutting portion, constitutes the handle portion of the blade. Inasmuch, however, as the blade is of extreme thinness I reinforce the handle portion and also the cutting part, if desired, by reinforcing-strips a a, each consisting of a grooved rib formed of a piece independent of the material of the blade and applied to the straight edge, as shown in Fig. 5. By thus constructing the knife I am enabled to use extremely thin stock, which not only reduces expense While permitting the use of the best quality of steel, and also enabling the strips to be readily and uniformly tempered, thereby securing blades which will be flexible, yet of such temper as to keep their cutting edges.

The handle being in one piece with the blade avoids riveting and expensive manipulation,

while the reinforcing-ribs prevent injury to the hands from the sharp edges of the handle portion and impart rigidity to the handle portion which is essential in consequence of the thinness of the blade. In other Words, by the use of the reinforcing-ribs on the handle portion of a blade having the cutting and handle portion in one piece I am enabled to use stock material much finer in quality and much thinner and less expensive, and more easily manipulated and tempered than would otherwise be the case. I/Vhen greater rigidity is desired in the cutting portion of the blade, the back rib a may extend for any desired extent along the back of the cutting portion of the blade. The cutting edge may be in line with the front edge of the blade, or at an angle, as shown, or straight or curved. A preferable rib construction consists in fornn ing each rib of a narrow strip of sheet iron, steel, zinc, or other metal bent to a U shape transversely, as shown in Fig. 5, and then applied to the blade and swaged. The edge strips may be retained in position by swaging or by applying them to the blade and then japanning or galvanizing the handle portion or coating it by dipping in molten tin, zinc, or other material or composition.

By forming the handle part of the blade with straight edges I can shear it from the plate without the use of dies, thus greatly reducing the cost of construction,and by using straight reinforcing-strips I further reduce the cost of construction, while securing a form of article more serviceable for its intended purpose than constructions heretofore devised.

\Vithout limiting myself to the precise construction shown, I claim as my invention- 1. A paring-knife consisting of athin flexible blade A having in one piece a handle portion with straight side edges and a cutting portion with a sharpened edge, and independent reinforcing-ribs fixedly secured at the edges of the handle portion, substantially as described.

2. A paring-knife consisting of athin flexible metallic blade having a short cutting portion sharpened at one edge, and a longerham dle portion, in one piece with the outtingporname to this specification in the presence of In testimony whereof I have signed my two subscribing witnesses.

Lion with straight edges,and with independent grooved reinforcing-stripseta,secured fixedly 1 RUSS .T. CIIRIS'LY. to said edges, the back strip extending also along the rear edge of the cutting portion, substantially as described.

\Vitnesses:

(J. C. TUNNINGTON, O. J. CHRISTY. 

